| Experimental Rebels cause flutters
by the Lee  Not
so much Rebels-roused as Rebels-restrained as Cork ground-out victory
against a battling but limited Wexford outfit at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday.
Cork appeared to be cruising to victory when Pat Cronin sent them into
a 1-16 to 0-10 lead on 43 minutes but Gerald McCarthy’s men scored
only once more and by the end they were relieved to hear the final whistle
as Wexford showed plenty of hunger for the battle.
There is still the hint of the experimental about this Cork team clearly
shown by the fact that Sean Og O’Halpin and John Gardiner were left
on the bench. The new men who came in did little to distinguish themselves
in a pedestrian first-half during which the experienced Ronan Curran was
prominent in sending Cork into a 0-12 to 0-9 half-time lead.
Wexford’s Declan Ruth put in an early claim for performance of the
season at full-back while Rory Jacob outsmarted the Cork defence and hit
five points from play.
Paul Carley’s frees were the main source of the Model County’s
first-half scores while Niall Ronan proved himself equally adept from
dead-ball situations for the Rebels.
Cork began the second-half in blistering fashion swiftly transforming
their three-point interval lead into an eight-point margin with points
from newcomer Peter Kelly and an exquisite sideline cut from captain-for-the-day
Kieran Murphy.
It was at this point that Cork seemed to lose interest and John Meyler’s
Wexford showed the rate at which they are improving by smashing over seven
unanswered points. It needed a last-gasp score from Cathal Nuaghten surely
one of the best young hurlers in Ireland at the moment to secure victory
for Cork.
Gerald McCarthy will be slightly concerned at the lack of bite displayed
by his Cork team. They have all the technical ability in the world but
not enough players prepared to make the hard yards.
Wexford are beginning to shape into serious contenders for the big prizes
of the summer. They would have beaten most teams with this display so
while the clocks may have gone forward Wexford have a major chance of
turning the clock back and regaining their past status as one of hurling’s
premier counties. |
